Getting Married - George Bernard Shaw

Summary

'Getting Married' is a single-act comedy by George Bernard Shaw, set in the Hotchkiss family's country house on the morning of a wedding. The play revolves around the impending marriage of Edith Bridgenorth and Cecil Sykes. However, the event quickly devolves into a lengthy and intellectual discussion about the institution of marriage itself, its legal and social constraints, and various alternatives. The family, joined by a diverse group of friends and acquaintances, including a divorced General, a Bishop, a progressive mayor, and a woman who refuses to marry, engages in a spirited debate. Shaw uses the play as a platform to challenge conventional views on marriage, highlighting its inherent absurdities, inequalities, and the need for more rational and equitable arrangements. The "plot" is minimal, serving primarily as a framework for the exploration of ideas about love, commitment, freedom, and the societal pressures surrounding matrimony.

Book Sections

Section 1

The play opens in the conservatory of the Hotchkiss's house, where the family is gathering before the wedding of Edith Bridgenorth and Cecil Sykes. The atmosphere is initially one of anticipation mixed with minor domestic squabbles. The main point of contention that kickstarts the philosophical debate is the discovery that Lesbia Grantham, a relative, refuses to marry anyone, despite being proposed to by several eligible men. This revelation immediately draws the characters into a discussion about the purpose and nature of marriage, setting the stage for the lengthy intellectual exploration that follows. The family members, representing various societal viewpoints, begin to air their personal grievances and philosophies regarding matrimony.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
The Bishop	Pious, traditional, struggles with the complexities of modern relationships.	Uphold the sanctity of marriage and traditional Christian values; advise his family.
Mrs. Bridgenorth	Matronly, somewhat flustered, concerned with social propriety.	Ensure her daughter's wedding goes smoothly; maintain family respectability.
General Bridgenorth	Recently divorced and remarried, a figure of modern marital complications.	Justify his own marital choices; advocate for practical, albeit unconventional, solutions to marital issues.
Hotchkiss	The Bishop's brother, a former Mayor, intellectual, progressive, a pragmatist.	Engage in intellectual debate; challenge outdated conventions; find rational solutions.
Lesbia Grantham	Independent, intelligent, outspoken, committed to celibacy and freedom.	Maintain her independence; avoid the perceived traps of traditional marriage; advocate for individual liberty.
Edith Bridgenorth	The bride, initially conventional, but increasingly rattled by the discussions.	Get married to Cecil; secure her future, but becomes open to questioning the institution.
Cecil Sykes	The groom, initially confident and somewhat naive, but also becomes affected.	Marry Edith; fulfill societal expectations, but is increasingly exposed to critical views.

Section 2

The discussion intensifies as more characters join. The General openly discusses his recent divorce and remarriage, shocking some of the more conservative family members but also highlighting the practical flaws of current marriage laws. Hotchkiss, the former Mayor, proposes a radical idea for a "marriage contract" that would allow for easy separation, essentially turning marriage into a renewable agreement rather than a lifelong bond. This provokes further debate, with the Bishop struggling to reconcile these modern ideas with his traditional beliefs. Lesbia continues to articulate her principled refusal to marry, arguing that it compromises individual freedom and dignity. The impending wedding of Edith and Cecil starts to feel less like a joyous occasion and more like a legal quagmire, as the bride and groom themselves begin to question the wisdom of their commitment under the existing laws.

Section 3

The arguments become more personal and urgent. A new character, Mrs. George, a formidable and seemingly mystical woman, makes a dramatic entrance. It is revealed that she has had relationships with several of the men present, including the Bishop in his youth and now with Hotchkiss. Her arrival introduces a different dimension to the debate – that of primal passion, spiritual connection, and the irrational aspects of love, contrasting sharply with the legal and intellectual arguments. Mrs. George, through a kind of hypnotic trance or spiritual insight, speaks of a deeper, almost cosmic union that transcends mere legal contracts. This mystical element momentarily shifts the tone, suggesting that love and partnership involve forces beyond rational control. The debate now spans from strict legal contracts to transcendent spiritual bonds.

Section 4

The various characters grapple with the implications of Mrs. George's pronouncements and the collective criticisms of marriage. Edith and Cecil, having listened to all the arguments, become increasingly reluctant to marry under the current legal framework. They are terrified by the prospect of lifelong commitment and potential entrapment without escape clauses. They even consider proposing their own radical marriage contract, mirroring Hotchkiss's ideas, which naturally causes further consternation among the more traditional relatives. The General, pragmatic as ever, supports the idea of flexible arrangements. The play culminates not in a wedding, but in an agreement to postpone the ceremony while a committee is formed to draft a new, more equitable marriage contract. The final resolution sees Edith and Cecil agreeing to try living together for a trial period, showcasing Shaw's endorsement of practical, less binding unions over rigid, traditional ones.

Literary Genre

'Getting Married' is a Discussion Play or Comedy of Ideas. It falls under the genre of Social Commentary and Philosophical Drama.

Author Facts

• George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political activist.
• He was a prominent member of the Fabian Society, a British socialist organisation, and much of his work reflects his socialist and progressive views.
• Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925 for his work which is "marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty." He initially rejected the monetary prize but accepted the medal.
• He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award (for Best Adapted Screenplay for 'Pygmalion' in 1938).
• Shaw wrote over 60 plays, including famous works like 'Pygmalion', 'Man and Superman', 'Major Barbara', and 'Saint Joan'.
• He was also a prolific essayist and music and theatre critic. His plays are known for their lengthy prefaces, where he often expounded on the philosophical, social, and political themes addressed in the play itself.

Moral and Curiosities

Moral/Message:
The primary moral of 'Getting Married' is that the traditional institution of marriage, as dictated by societal laws and customs, is often outdated, oppressive, and ill-suited to modern human relationships. Shaw argues for a more rational, flexible, and equitable approach to partnership, where individual freedom and happiness are prioritized over rigid legal bonds. He suggests that marriage should be a renewable contract, or perhaps even entirely re-imagined, to allow for personal growth and the inevitable evolution of human affection. The play critiques the idea of lifelong, unbreakable vows and highlights the legal and emotional traps that conventional marriage can create, particularly for women. It champions honesty, individual choice, and a critical examination of social norms.

Curiosities:

• One-Act Structure: Unlike many of Shaw's other plays which have multiple acts, 'Getting Married' is written as a single, continuous act. This unbroken flow emphasizes the continuous, evolving nature of the debate and mirrors the relentless pressure of social institutions.
• Long Prefaces: As with many of Shaw's plays, 'Getting Married' is accompanied by a very lengthy and detailed preface (often longer than the play itself) where Shaw expounds at length on his philosophical views on marriage, divorce, and social reform. These prefaces are integral to understanding Shaw's full argument.
• A "Discussion Play": Shaw pioneered the "discussion play" genre, where the primary dramatic action comes from the clash of ideas and intellectual debate rather than external events. 'Getting Married' is a prime example, where the "plot" is secondary to the philosophical arguments.
• Critique of Women's Position: Shaw was a strong advocate for women's rights, and the play powerfully criticizes the legal and social disadvantages women faced within marriage, often being reduced to property or dependents with limited autonomy.
• Mystical Element: The character of Mrs. George and her trance-like pronouncements introduce a surprising mystical or spiritual dimension to a play largely focused on rational and legal arguments. This adds a layer of complexity, suggesting that human relationships are not purely rational or contractual.
• The "Marriage Strike": One of the radical ideas floated in the play is that women might go on a "marriage strike" to force society to reform the institution, highlighting the power dynamics at play.